Sailors’ Gift to G.T.C.

Rushden Company, Girls’ Training Corps have received from the officers and men of H.M.S. Quorn this framed scroll, signed by every one of the ship’s company. An interesting feature of the scroll is that it has been designed and painted by the men themselves, and the frame was made by the ship’s carpenter. The girls were thrilled to receive this unique gift, and feel amply rewarded for their enterprise in accepting responsibility for the “Quorn” Comforts Fund.

I think that would be about 1941 or ’42, I was about 15 and then the Girls’ Training Corps started up in Rushden. We used to learn how to do map reading and drill, we did drill and drill and drill which was all in good stead. We joined with the ATC as well doing morse code and all different things and gymnastics and that. We used to go out sometimes to the other schools and have a weekend in a school somewhere.

I remember we went to one of the schools in Kettering once. It was a very military sort of thing, we had to be on the mark and salute for the officers and whatnot and Mrs Carat was the Commandant, as she was called. I think her husband was the manager at the Lloyds Bank at the time and I remember a Miss Sugars who lived in Queen Street and I think she was a teacher at a Higham School, she was an officer.